OIC Wants Religious Tolerance Bedrock of UN Rights Body
"Certain governments have expressed a wish to include a reference
to the protection of particular values," said Heuze.
GENEVA, February 14, 2006 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - Muslim
countries are pressing for a ban on religious intolerance to be part of the
bedrock of a planned new United Nations human rights body, officials said on
Tuesday, February 14.
"Since the controversy over the cartoons, certain governments have
expressed a wish to include a reference to the protection of particular values
in the resolution" that would create the UN Human Rights Council, said UN
spokeswoman Marie Heuze.
The proposal by 57 governments which are grouped in the Organization of
the Islamic Conference (OIC) comes as the outcry continues in the Muslim world
over the publication of Danish caricatures that lampooned Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings be upon him), reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
According to the text of the proposal, the new UN body should strive to
"prevent instances of intolerance, discrimination, incitement of hatred and
violence arising from any actions against religions, prophets and beliefs which
threaten the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms."
It also says that "defamation of religions and prophets is inconsistent
with the right to freedom of expression" and that states, organizations and the
media have a "responsibility in promoting tolerance and respect for religious
and cultural values."
Divided
The move is likely to complicate efforts to build consensus by the end of
this week among all UN members on setting up the new council, which would
replace the UN Human Rights Commission -- a forum that has come under
increasing criticism for failing to spotlight abuses.
Some governments see the Muslim proposal as out of step with a broader
accord to create the new body, said officials.
Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey said that linking the two
issues could endanger those efforts.
She instead favored a separate UN resolution on respect for religions.
There has been rising demand in the Muslim world for such a UN move.
Muslim dignitaries and organizations have called for the enactment of an
international law banning the publication of any insults to religious symbols
and values.
The OIC and the Arab League, the Muslim world's two main political
bodies, are also seeking a UN resolution, backed by possible sanctions, to
protect religions following the publication of provocative cartoons.
The cartoons, one of them showing the Prophet with a bomb-shaped turban,
were first published in Denmark last year, and have been reprinted by
newspapers in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and other
countries on the ground of freedom of expression.
That argument has been rejected by most Muslim countries, which say it
should not be used as a pretext to insult their religions.
Any image of the Prophet -- let alone biting caricatures -- is considered
blasphemous under Islam.
"Universal Declaration"
"Because having the freedom without responsibility could lead our
civilization to absolute liberalism," said Syamsuddin.
On Monday, February 13, East Asian Muslim and Christian leaders wrapped
up their two-day meeting in the Indonesian capital Jakarta by urging the UN to
make a "universal declaration" strictly banning blasphemy.
Din Syamsuddin, leader of Indonesia's second largest Muslim organization,
the Muhammadiyah, said the forum proposed the UN issue a declaration of "human
responsibility" in order to prevent more examples of blasphemous or insulting
acts toward religions, the Jakarta Post reported on Tuesday.
"I shared the idea during rounds of discussions with other religious
leaders here, and I personally agree that the UN should issue a universal
declaration of human responsibility, apart from the universal declaration of
human rights," he told a news conference.
"Because having the freedom without responsibility could lead our
civilization to absolute liberalism."
Din said the declaration would allow people and institutions to exercise
freedom of expression, but also make them responsible in their actions.
Rev. Fr. Joseph Chusak Sirisut, director of the Bangkok-based religious
and cultural research center in Saengtham College, said there was a similarly
insulting cartoon when Pope Benedictus XVI was inaugurated last October.
"Press freedom should not insult religious figures."
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